Sensation (As long as you're alive)
by Sharry93
Summary: She fell silent, recalling his cold and absolute tone, how he turned around, not reacting to anything she said, and went away that day. But she remembered what she said, how she insulted him, how she screamed at him. It was the last time they really spoke with each other. He had left her, still living in the same town, in their possible "Eden", and left her alone. How did it happen
1. Prologue

"Are you ready? "

"Yes, of course. "

"Then let's go, Briareos. "

Slowly he stood up, so this was it? He couldn't believe it. He always thought he would die in action, with a bullet through his head or his chest, like he almost did back then. But on the other hand… _beep, beep _An incoming call. It was… _'Deunan…' _What was he supposed to do? Answering? This could be a stupid, troublemaking idea. Not answering? But maybe it was his last opportunity to talk to her, to hear her voice. A silent sigh went up his throat, but he did not let it pass. He could leave without saying her… saying her what? What could he say her? Was he even able to talk to her without spilling everything out, what she was not supposed to know?

* * *

"Oh, Deunan. What are you doing here?"

"Oi, Hitomi. Is Briareos here?"

"No, he isn't, I am sorry. Deunan, are you drunk?"

"No! Am not!"

"Please, do not lie to me. We are friends, aren't we? So tell me, what's wrong?"

Hitomi gently pulled Deunan inside, closed the door, and took the bottle out of her hands.

"Hey! That's mi…" "I am sorry, but I presume you drank enough. Come on, what's going on between you and Briareos?" "I don' know! **Damn it!**" Cursing loudly Deunan dropped on the best chair nearby, suddenly close to tears.

"I don' know whats goin' on? He doesn' say anythin', doesn' even look at me. Leaves early in the morning, comes home late, when he comes home at all, don' think he was for the last few weeks. Since he requested to change teams he's been freakin' crazy an' mean an' stupid an' " "Have you ever talked with him about it?" Carefully the young bioroid sat down beside her friend and put a hand on her arm, smiling at her warm and gentle. "About what!?" bad breath reeked out of Deunan's mouth as she barked back. "About why he decided you to team up with this new ESWAT gu.." "Oh that damn jerk Wataru, he is so dump, and slow, doesn' even know how to shot a gun or how to use a landmate…." "Aren't you a bit rough, just because he is not as good as Briareos and is still…" "And that badass Briareos, should never ever look at me again. Why the heck did he do this? We're partners, or should be, why did he leave me with such an idiotic kid. I'm his point man, isn't he supposed to follow me?" Her voice grew louder and louder until she almost ended up screaming at Hitomi, who was still able to smile friendly and listened without judging. "What did he say, when he told you, that he would team up with someone else the upcoming time?" The young soldier lowered her voice in a bad imitation of the cyborg's voice "You need to be able to fight well along with others, Deunan, you need to be able to protect yourself if they cannot. What would you do if I'm not around anymore? I cannot protect you forever." She fell silent, recalling his cold and absolute tone, how he turned around, not reacting to anything she said, and went away that day. But she remembered what she said, how she insulted him, how she screamed at him. It was almost over a month ago now, but it was the last time they really spoke with each other. At first she was so mad at him, she didn't even notice his belongings were gone, one by one, but after she calmed down, it seemed to be impossible to talk to him, on missions she was never teamed up with him, but with that good-for-nothing bioroid Wataru, who was still in training (she hated to admit that he was pretty skillful and even a better partner than some of the more experienced soldiers could have been, she hated him for not being Briareos), in her free time she tried to find him ,but he was vanished, she looked everywhere, at his favorite restaurant, his favorite training place, even at the hospital, because she did not know if he was injured from his last mission. She asked everyone she knew if they knew where he lived, but most of them just shrugged their shoulders, grinned foolishly and said "Take a good look at your bed, honey." Yoshitune and Hitomi were kind to her but they also had no idea where he could be. He had left her, still living in the same town, in their possible "Eden", and left her alone.

"Why did he do that? Why did he go, and leave me all lone? He said he would protect me, even if I didn't want him to. So why now, just out of the blue?"

She looked at her friend, sober now, who closed her eyes shortly before getting up. "Deunan, you shouldn't ask me, but him." "How ? He has vanished; it's like chasing a ghost, I see him at work, but only for half a second, then he's gone and we have to move out." She called after the young woman, who disappeared in the kitchen. Deunan could hear the sound of water, a calming sound. Than Hitomi laughed, softly, and came back with two glasses of water. "Deunan, in which century are you living? You do not have to go, chasing him through the city, trying to find him by accident. He is a cyborg, he always has a cellphone with him, so you can always call him, and if he still doesn't answer, you can track him down with his transmitter. Yoshitune would gladly help you, if that would stop your…" Her friend didn't even listen to her anymore but already dialing, then she stopped.

"He has been avoiding me, right? Maybe he just doesn't like me anymore."

Hitomi laughed again. "Deunan, that's nonsense, you should know that he loves you. So go ahead and call him, so you'll know."

The young soldier nodded and bit her lips, what would he say? Would he even answer her?

* * *

"Hello…"

"…"

He sighed. "Deunan…"

"Bri…Briareos."

Damn it, she sounded like she almost cried, and was drunk. He had to be cold to her, for her.

"What do you want? I'm kind of busy right now, got it?"

He heard her swallow, maybe he was a little too harsh, but he couldn't risk her to… "I wanted to ask you, if you're all right." She stumbled for a moment "And I wanted to know, when… no if you will come home someday."

The cyborg buried his head in his right hand, it was a mistake, he knew it, all along, but he wanted to hear her, so badly. "Yeah, I'm fine, but I don't thi…" "You hate me, don't you?" Her voice was loud, cracking, breaking and then silent, broken, sad "You hate me for what I said, back then, don't you? I'm sorry Briareos, I am so sorry, you are right, I need to learn to watch my back I…" "I don't hate you, Deunan, I never could, and I am not angry with you. It is all right, everything is fine." "**It's not!** How can you say that? You're not here, we aren't partners anymore, you're gone, and you left me alone! Why? _Why Briareos?_"

He couldn't stand it, her voice pleading like that, hurting like that, he never wanted to hurt her, always wanted to protect her, but he couldn't, not anymore, not like this…

"Because I do, what's always best for you Deunan, you need a different partner, so you learn how to protect yourself for the case that I won't be around."

He could hear her stop breathing, in the background something, which sounded like glass, broke; he could see the icy shards flying like ice crystals, scratching Deunan's Skin. He could see the warm red fluid, only one or two drops, enough to make him freeze. "It's because of our last mission together, isn't it?" "Deunan…" "Isn't it? Briareos!" "I have to go now, Deunan." "What?! Wai…" "Please, take care, and don't get yourself killed, okay?" "Bria…" He hung up.' _How stupid!'_ He wanted to calm her down, to make her accept the new arrangement; he wanted her to feel safe without him. But he screwed up, big times.

"Are you ready?"

"I am." He stood up, went in that white cold room.

"Good, the sooner we get done, the better."

The door closed behind his back, there was no turning back, the die was cast.

"Don't worry; the pain will be sharp but brief."

He sighed, "just bring it on, okay. Let's finish this mess."

Slowly the cyborg closed his eyes, being destined to never open them again.


	2. Chapter 1

_Three months ago_

"Listen! NO Solos, you are in the critical zone. Team 5F did you reach your assigned place?"

"_Yes! We're ready, just waiting for your command."_

"Team 5B?"

"_We're ready, but I cannot see the signal from Team 5S."_

"Shit! Where the hell are Dalton and Ohara?"

His chair cried out in a sharp sound as the commandant turned around quickly and stood up, looking at multiple monitors, he couldn't find the missing soldiers, one of them just passed his last exams, it was his first real MTC_, Mission To Complete_; not allowed to fail, no matter at what cost, no matter how many lives. But if those two were dead, it was impossible for the rest of them to continue, because it was their part to destroy the electricity and start the alarm in the other building, so that _they_ could enter unseen. What should he do now? The back-up team did not answer, neither did the second back-up, but their emergency signals stopped flashing minutes ago; it was already too late to save them…

"_Team 5X here."_

Slowly he turned around, as the dark voice of his leading team echoed inside of the command center. The cyborg was not supposed to contact him already. It was way to early…

"What is it Briareos? Is something wrong?"

"_No Sir. I just reached the entering point."_

"Already? You sure are fast."

"_Do you want me to enter?"_

He smiled; this cyborg was his favorite subordinate, he was skillful, smart, and fulfilled all his missions with excellent grades, even though he was injured often, primarily when his pointman decided again to do the most dangerous experiments. By the way…

"What do you mean by **you** reached the entering point? Where is Deunan?"

Silence… he knew it, not longer than a sharp breath and he heard what he did not want to hear.

"_We split up, so she could check on Team 5S, and in case of their extinction, fulfill their part."_

Briareos voice sounded cold, not calm but cold, he was probably not happy about this plan as well, everyone knew he hated that woman to be in danger, but damn it, it was her job, and she was great in mistaking orders just to get in trouble. But nevertheless she was always successful, and right now their last chance.

He slowly turned away from the monitors, closed his eyes and exhaled. One day that woman would kill him, or at least his nerves.

"When did you split up, Briareos?"

"_2 Minutes and 45 seconds ago, she wants to contact you as soon as she knows what's going on."_

"Well, okay. Team 5X, stay where you are, and wait for orders."

"_Roger!"_

"Nagase!"

"Yes Sir!"

"How many minutes?"

"Eleven, sir."

"Okay…" A silent sigh left his lips, as he turned back to the monitors, they had no time left, his men waited for orders, and he could not give any, because…

"_Team 5X here."_

"Deunan! Where the hell are you?" He couldn't help it, but feeling relieved.

"_At the checkpoint, sir!"_

"And where is Team 5S, Deunan?"

There was a sharp pause before she answered. _"They could not fulfill the mission."_

He closed it eyes. "Death?"

"_Yes, sir. Headshots, right trough the ear, both."_

He clenched his fists, this did not sound good, the killer had to be a master of his skills, to kill two well trained soldiers that easily. "What about the shooter?"

"_Death, as well, sir. Seems like Ohara killed him in the same second he was shoot, otherwise they'd already welcomed us."_

Ohara, a young boy, killed on his first MTC, and facing the death he was able to save the whole mission. What a shame to lose somebody like him, as well as Dalton, one of his own friends, well known for fighting in the most dangerous sceneries and coming out alive and almost unwounded. Now they were both death…

"Do you see any of the back-up teams?"

She did not answer right away.

"_What's left of them…"_

So they were caught up in the explosion a few minutes ago. What a hell of a day. Right now he hated his job, and he hated the MTCs. Already six of his people were dead, for nothing! He closed his eyes, he had to calm down, he was the commander, and it was his job, to stay focused.

"Okay Deunan, what about the entrance?"

"_I am ready and just waiting for your command."_

The commander looked over Nagases shoulder at the countdown; they had no time to lose.

"This is my order, listen well. I want you to start the party and then you will go back to the entering point and join Briareos."

"_Sir, wouldn't it be faster for me to…"_

"That was no request!"

"_Yes sir!"_

A second later a mechanical cry cut through the night, loud and ear cracking, the mission had just began, and now the party started…

He waited. Just following his orders. But man, he swore himself, if Deunan didn't show up the next few seconds he would abandon all of it and go looking for her. His sound-detectors signaled him, that the loud noise, the starting shot for their mission was working for already more than a minute. She had to be back by now, big times!

He lifted his woodpecker just in the second he could hear a hint of movement, but the next moment he could already relax. "You're late. Did you go shopping on your way back?" A trace of a smile answered him, but she didn't say anything. She didn't need to, he already knew, he knew before his transmitter heard what she told the commander, even before they decided to split up, and the cold in her eyes, trying hard to cover the sadness, just reassured him.

He moved his shoulders, an old habit, still left from being human, to loose muscles. "Ready?" "Always!" They were already running.

The structure of their mission was easy, nothing special, no civilians, no hostage. Just some crazy people, stealing information, information which should be kept save inside Gaia. Information they had to get back, and then destroy every evidence they could find. This mission was made for him, as he was, unwanted, the center of their whole plan. Being the only cyborg, it was his job to download all data in his computer-brain and to make sure, that nothing was missing.

Unfortunately it was not all that easy. Those people were not simple criminals, most of them were well trained, ex-ESWAT-members, betraying their own folks in order to accomplish some foolish thoughts. Only one of them wasn't a fighter, he was some sort of scientist, but brilliant in his work, mainly creating optimized bioroids and connecting human tissue with technique, just as he was, a cyborg.

Soundless they made their way up to the entrance, lifting their weapons, waiting.

"_Team 5B here. East side is secured."_

Briareos watched Deunans finger relaxing before they're reclenched again around the trigger of her Bobson. She was ready.

"_Team 5A here. West side double checked."_

"_Team 5F here. We're ready."_

He looked down at her, watching her nod.

"Team 5X here. We're entering."

They didn't wait for the commander's answer, but slipped like shadows inside the huge building.

The next few minutes were a fast mixture of firing and ducking. Reflexes acting faster than the brain could think of. Hands moved before the eye could spot something in this blur of light and color. She could hear screams of dying men. Hear her own sharp breathing, Briareos loud grunt, as he crushed the head of one soldier against the solid wall.

Suddenly it all went silent. Except for the quiet tripling of red fluid and the fainting groans of death. Slowly she turned around. Surprised she realized that while fighting they had moved into another room, the wall behind them scarred with fine lines of breaking stone, in front of them just a knee-high rail, separating this platform from the dark nothingness of the night. Somewhere high above them the roof cried silently, not holding the weight of time much longer.

Halfway between her and the rail an unidentifiable object buzzed softly. Monitors ran chemical and physical symbols up and down faster than any human eye could read, connected in some cable tangle, which looked like a strange tree. The branches of wire disappeared in the darkness, probably hiding between the broken stones of the walls. The roots of pipes pulsed slightly with energy. The trunk, like a heart, beeped in a steady rhythm while unreadable codes rushed over the monitors.

Deunan didn't know, why this information were so important, she didn't want to know, what those terrorists wanted to gain by stealing them, but right now she was kind of amazed, for this sculpture emanated some sort of beauty and grace.

"Did you notice?"

She turned around, watching her partner approaching her, seeing all of his tiny sensors working, giving him more input than he needed.

"Noticed what?" What was he talking about? There was no one in here, they eliminated every possible enemy. So what did she miss?

"Since we entered the building, we lost all contact to the commander, as well as to the other teams."

"So?"

"I don't know if it's just a coincidence or if there is more to it…" She could feel his worries, could sense his tense body, he waited for something.

"Maybe," She answered calm, while surrounding the electronic tree, alert, carefully, fierce "but while we wait for something to happen, do you mind doing your job?"

She could feel his camera-eyes stare at her, although there was a huge trunk between them. "Are you making fun of me?" His voice as deadly as his weapons. "I would never dare." She snickered, completing her turn around the machine, a bold grin on her lips. He laughed softly "Watch your tongue, young lady." Before facing this monster of technique. The tip of his index finger flipped open, revealing some kind of technical access.

While approaching the peeping giant, his eyesight never lost Deunan, who was already scanning the area. The moment he would connect to this computer, he would not be able to move on his own until the download was finished, that's why she had to cover his back, for once.

The official plan was to secure the spot and wait for team 5F and team 5G. But it already took them too long; he needed at least 10 minutes, probably more than 20. They had no time.

"Ready?"

"Always!"

Warily he connected with the computer, wondering why nobody was there; it seemed all so easy, like they _wanted_ them to get the information back.

A strange feeling filled his body, as his computer-brain was almost enjoying this connection, while his human mind did not want to give up his self-reliance, he just didn't trust any Machine, as being one himself.

His body froze, his human mind went blank, and suddenly there was so much data filling his head, he did not even try to understand, did not even think about it, using a special technique he learned to keep sanity, reviving one memory, every little fragment of it, recalling the smell, remembering the feeling, that was all he could do to prevent him from loosing himself.

He remembered her, he remembered that moment when she said yes, not crying like a little girl, but reloading her gong, not even looking at him, before adding "As soon as the war is over." ,crawling next to him, always careful to stay out of the range of fire, and kissing him, like she never did before.

How he had waited for this war to be over, and now he waited for his war to be over.


End file.
